Program Description

Alabama Juvenile Court Liaison Initiative

Overview

The juvenile court liaison program is a statewide initiative that funds the creation of a single position in multiple counties across Alabama. The liaison position is a partnership between the Alabama State Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation (DMH/MR) and Community Mental Health Centers. The DMH/MR provides money to fund 22 liaisons positions throughout the state. Each liaison serves a catchment area, which can consist of anywhere between one and five counties depending on population. The goal of the initiative is the development of a mental health presence in the juvenile courts. The liaisons are employees of the community mental health agencies but their position is primarily funded by the state. The State encourages and supports local determination in what the specific duties of the liaison entail. The state initiative is modeled after a liaison position developed in Jefferson County, Alabama, and funded by local county court funds. The liaisons work with the courts to identify youth with mental health needs that the DMH/MR has responsibility for. These include youth with Serious Emotional Disturbance, co-occurring substance use disorders, and youth with mental retardation.

The target population for the Liaison Initiative is youth with mental health needs who are involved with the juvenile justice system. The 22 liaisons combined served an estimated 1,981 youth last year. The average caseload for each liaison is 31 youth but ranges from 2–120. The majority of youth served are boys (61% vs. 39% in FY 2003), nearly evenly split between African Americans and Caucasians. Youth were also nearly evenly split between testing on their grade level and below their grade level, and the majority were involved with multiple systems within their community.

There are multiple points at which youth can be referred to a liaison, though all are from the justice system. Referrals can be made from probation and intake up to and including post-adjudication. Some liaisons have trained detention center staff to identify youth that are being held either pending or post adjudication who may be appropriate for liaison services. Youth in detention centers have been referred to liaisons for evaluations/ assessment or crisis intervention.

All liaisons are, at a minimum, master’s level clinicians employed by the community mental health center and work exclusively with youth and families who come to the attention of the juvenile courts and have mental health needs. The juvenile court liaisons are also trained and certified as case managers. While some provide direct clinical services, the typical liaison serves as a link between juvenile justice and mental health agencies by identifying needs, explaining issues to the court, and brokering the provision of services. Services provided by the liaison include intake and evaluation, individual and group counseling, and case management and care coordination. A survey by the DMH/MR showed that the community mental health center and the court are the typical settings in which services are provided, though the setting is flexible and also includes homes, probation offices, schools, detention centers, and hospitals. Liaisons are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Alabama has indicators showing that the number of youth served and volume of services provided continues to increase. Tracking numbers also show that consultation services with education and outside agencies are on the rise, suggesting that collaboration is increasing. Finally, more courts are reporting improved relations with mental health agencies. The state does not have impact data statewide but some liaisons make an effort to track functional improvement, though it is primarily through subjective evaluations.

Program Contact

Steven P. LaFreniere, Director
Office of Children’s Services
Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation
RSA Union Building
100 N. Union Street
PO Box 301410
Montgomery, Alabama 36130-1410
Phone: 334- 353-7110